Yemeni troops inspect the scene where a military plane crashed in Sanaa on November 21, 2012.

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The plane crashes near a public market in Sanaa, killing all passengers

The passengers were on a pilot training mission, the defense ministry says

A small military cargo plane crashed in the Yemeni capital on Wednesday, killing all 10 passengers, the country's defense ministry said.

The plane caught fire shortly after taking off from Sanaa International Airport, airport officials said. The crew tried to head back to the airport, but the plane crashed near a public market in the Hasaba area of Sanaa.

The defense ministry said passengers were on a pilot training mission, with the head pilot instructing trainees from the government's armed forces.

The cause of the fire -- and subsequent crash -- is under investigation, Sanaa government official Abdul Qader Hilal said.